Square for Retail Software

Square delivers plenty of features at low cost

Pros

I have run a brick-and-mortar for more than 19 years, and got rid of my traditional merchant account about 5 years ago when fees became outrageous and unstable, and I also needed a mobile payment system as my bank did not offer one. I did some research and settled on Square. The product is intuitive and easy to navigate, and the cost for processing credit cards is reasonable at 2.75% for swiped and 3.5% for manually entered.
But that's just the beginning of what they offer: in 2013, the Square Market was an incredible add-on benefit provided for free! If you've needed e-commerce for your business, you know that this service can be costly, so for Square to provide it for merely the cost of each transaction processed is amazing. There are many features to the Market, such as the ability to embed items you are selling into your website, share on social media, etc. While the features aren't customizable to a great extent, it is still a very powerful platform for POS. I particularly appreciate the many reports that can be generated, receipts with custom messages you can send to clients who have shopped online, ability to send invoices, etc. They've added gift cards, which is a nice feature, and they have many third party vendor apps that interface with Square for inventory and financial processes for your business. New features are constantly being added, such as their Customer Engagement to create customer lists and do direct marketing to that list right from Square. This product is a powerful addition to your website and other marketing you may already be doing. I have recommended this product to many small business owners and non-profits, and have been a very happy user since late 2010.

Cons

I have found very little to dislike. I have seen comments online about deposits being held, a lack of ability to communicate easily with Square (initially, they had no phone customer service, but I always got very quick response from their techs via Twitter in the early days), and difficulty in raising deposit limits. I run two small businesses using Square, and for one of them had to ask for a large increase in daily deposits as my business grew. This was handled easily via email communications and took only a few days.

After research, seemed like best choice on a small nonprofit's limited budget.

Our previous credit card processor charged us PCI compliance fee but didn't help us with our compliance issues. They were happy to charge an additional price. PCI noncompliance fee for more than a year. Switching our four physical locations and website to Square resolved those issues and saved those fees. Square Retail would no doubt help us more with inventory management, but we can't afford the extra monthly cost for the multiple locations. Software Advice and other review sites were very helpful in sorting through the hundreds of options and convincing our board that we could afford to make the switch to Square to help staff reduce time spent to manage both sales and inventory.

Pros

Fairly intuitive and forgiving (can back out of most screens if not sure where to find function you're looking for). Sales and national park visitor center staff really like the system, and have had little difficulty learning it. We have it set up with wi-fi on AT&T U-Verse and satellite internet and on a Verizon wireless-enabled iPad. Offline mode has worked during power interruptions and automatically uploaded sales when back online. Customer support has generally been top notch. Support Center has good information and comments from the Square community, though it can be a challenge to find the answer without fairly extensive searching. The Square stands, compatible printers, and cash drawers were easy to hook up and work well together. Straightforward pricing. Ability to accept multiple forms of payment with the Square chip reader and Virtual Terminal.

Cons

Would be extremely helpful to have searchable, downloadable start-up and user guides instead of having to cut and paste from web pages, which doesn't work well. We had to make a lot of phone calls to tech support during initial set-up, particularly for uploading inventory, because we couldn't find instructions online. Very time-consuming and tricky to upload inventory spreadsheet files that include multiple locations. After all the effort to upload, it appears that each item still has to have inventory tracking enabled manually. We assumed that's why we were entering all the inventory numbers into the spreadsheet. Moving inventory from one location to another also must be done manually. With desktop version of QuickBooks for Mac, Square's daily subtraction of fees for each location's sales vs. all fees charged once monthly by our previous processor has more than quadrupled the time needed to enter sales reports. Switching to cloud version of QuickBooks may help, as transactions can supposedly be downloaded to it. Had to purchase a third-party module to integrate our website's Magento Community ecommerce software with Square, but integration is very incomplete (total charge only is transferred to Square, not items sold, merchandise subtotal, member discount, or shipping charges). We accidentally entered some Virtual Terminal transactions with the wrong location selected and couldn't transfer them to the correct location. Tech support verified that the only option would have been to refund each transaction from the incorrect location and reenter them in the correct one. We bought a recommended scanner but found that we would have to manually replace our existing PLUs with very long barcode numbers for each item to use it.

Not perfect, but a big improvement!

Pros

Sales staff really like it compared to cash register and credit card terminal (or old-fashioned knuckle-buster imprinter for our remote locations). Predictable fees, which have been lower than for our previous traditional credit card processors, especially for in-person purchases and for American Express. No monthly fees or PCI compliance issues. Square Community is a helpful resource. Dashboard with a variety of reports works pretty well, and it's handy to be able to generate sales reports or search for individual transactions quickly.

Cons

Lack of good integration with Magento Community web software (only bottom line charge comes through). No ability to easily transfer inventory from one location to another. Problem with cash total on drawer report not matching sales report. Usually cash drawer is correct, which means sales are not recorded properly. This problem has existed since at least August 2016, while their engineers work on it. This lowest cost version of Square probably gets less attention than their monthly subscription products. Daily subtraction of processing fees creates a lot more work in QuickBooks than traditional credit card processors charging fees monthly. Customer support has been hit or miss. We've been misled a couple times. After uploading a file with inventory quantities for each product at each location, which took a lot of time to create, we discovered that inventory didn't start counting down with each sale unless we activated that feature on each product individually. That makes no sense. Searching for sales of individual items can be quite slow because it starts loading ALL items before giving a chance to choose.

Great POS System for new companies.

Square has done wonders for our small business, it has almost everything you would need for a new business but there is somethings I didn't quite like. The system is great but there are some issues. To actually have track your inventory and have it sync up with Quickbooks required us to purchase Quickbooks online to be able to track our inventory and sync our daily sales. It was a little of a hassle but when it all comes down to it this register is great! I just wish it was designed more for a retail store or have that option when ordering the register. I haven't had any other complaints, it works well, user friendly, add as many products/items as you would need. Easy to use checkout for people without a good grasp of technology and how it works. I would honestly say this is a great POS system, very efficient and reliable! Plus you can download the app on your phone and accept payments where ever you are! That is the other great perk of this register!

Pros

Efficient, reliable, on the go app, easy to use, great for any store, easy to track your sales, keep costumer information that are repeats and order frequently, design and layout is simple and very easy on the eyes, it has two versions to layout your items, either a grid or a list so it is a personal preference of which you like to use, deposits your money that night.

Cons

Can't sync with Quickbooks unless you have Quickbooks Online, sometimes takes a while to start up and get going, the card swipe is very picky you HAVE to swipe it straight through or it doesn't accept the card (something that should be resolved soon I hope!) I just wish it wasn't only able to be used on Apple too. I am not a huge fan of Apple products. I would prefer to use a Samsung or Andriod tablet rather then a Ipad, but that is just a personal preference.

Nothing easier!

Pros

Wow -- we went from an expensive merchant credit account with expensive fees above and beyond transaction fees. The device/software was very inexpensive to move to. Moving to Square reduced costs significantly and transaction fees were well in line with the "discount" rates we were getting before -- without all the other fees. Because we're not handling credit card data in house, it also reduced our needs for managing compliance. It's easy to mobilize staff, the interface is simple, and the account can also be pulled up on a computer other device with a browser.

Cons

We had to purchase a new Square reader device when credit card technology evolved to chip, but I don't know that Square could have really done anything about building a device to handle the physical aspect of the technology change at the time they created the initial hardware. It wasn't a significant cost to upgrade the obsolete device to a chip version. It had no impact on the application.

Best for my Dollar

I've had numerous companies approach me as far as their rates to use them. Square so far has been the best. No one compares, for my small business. There are a few things here and there that I wish would be different, but when I compare what I get for what I pay, I'm very satisfied.

Pros

Invoicing, easy payments, custom register menu.

Cons

It is automatic when two discounts apply, the % will be taken before the $ amount discount. When we offer 10% off to military and they earn a $ discount, it isn't calculated properly for us. So we have to make a few tweaks in order for it to work out. Called customer service and there is no way to change this.
Also, the "Guest" feature was accidentally turned on when I was exploring adding payroll/employees to Square. Once it's activated, it can't be removed. So we now have to hit Guest each time instead of it automatically opening up the Square Register.

Great, simple and easy to use P.O.S. for many types of businesses

Overall, I used the Square POS for a limited time but during that time I liked the simplicity of its interface and its clean look.

Pros

I used the Square POS system along with the Square contactless and chip reader. What I liked about this product is its simplistic yet clean look and fits well in my business - did not take up too much space. I also liked how easy it was to learn the actual POS system. It was not complicated and very straight forward and I was able to quickly get it setup for my needs. The learning curve is very simple and everyone at the company was able to pick it up with minimal experience. I liked the clean look of the interface itself and it is very organized.

Cons

A few problems that did stick out was the fact that sometimes the reader itself would need multiple tries in order to read a card correctly. It is not of the sturdiest material and that may have contributed to not working properly at times. Also, the merchant service fee per swipe is a bit on the pricey side at 2.75% per in person transaction (higher rate for keyed in transactions). There are cheaper options available but the convenience and availability of Square products are definitely something to keep in mind.

I use the Square for multiple businesses.

Overall, the Square Point of Sale is a low cost, easy to use, and very versatile software.

Pros

The Square is small, so it is easy to take anywhere. The Square can plug into any phone with a microphone jack, and is not specific to a brand or carrier. The app is free to download, and can be used with both mobile phones and tablets. Using the app can be as simple as just typing in the total amount, or amounts for specific items can be programmed into the app, so the prices are pulled up with a click of a button. The money is sent directly to your bank account.

Cons

The stripe reader seems to get worn out fairly quickly. The charge to swipe the credit card is fair, but if you have to type the card in due to the worn out reader, or a worn our card the fee is higher. I tend to do more over the phone charges with one business, and the fee can get pretty high.

Simple, Transparent, Informative

The SquareRegister POS provides a very simple, plug and go solution for setting up and using a cash register. It is very straightforward in setting up inventory, items, and employees. As a fast-paced, men's barber shop, we need sales transactions to be quick and easy, and SquareRegister POS delivers! Since management is off-site, we rely on excellent Dashboard reporting to keep us informed for remote management. The Employee Management modules to allow us to easily track sales by the employee (barber) for payroll purposes. The transparency of real-time credit card fees is another key component to running a small, growing business with no surprises!

Pros

We like the real-time look into the day's activity. With the Employee management module, it allows us to easily determine if we are over/under staffed at any point in our day. Being able to track the sales by year/month/week/day, we can more confidently create future staffing plans. The Sales Trend reporting provides a comparison to the previous day/week/month/year. Having the detail reporting from the Dashboard takes away the perceived notion of the health of my business and replaces it with factual data.

Cons

1. There is no 'Void' sale, only a 'Refund', so cashier errors are not accounted for. The sales that are 'refunded' show in my Gross Sales.
2. To track Sales per Employee (with Employee Management), each Employee has to log on and bring up his/her own sale. If 2 or more employees should get credit for the items one customer buys, then each sale/employee must be rung up separately (logging on) and the customer's card swiped (read) multiple times.

Square changed our Business when our business went through a change

The best Credit Card processor and a whole lot more!

Pros

Straightforward product and fees, no guess work. We will never use traditional credit card processing ever again. Traditional credit card processing is riddled with false claims and hidden fees. Square does not do this at all, I get paid the next day in full and they provide to me free of charge an olineline presence with a shopping cart...FREE How cool. Oh and did I mention that it all runs on an IPAD and IPHONe. I can make and collect money anywhere. It also works with no internet. Perfect product for us.

Cons

We wish the shopping cart were integrated into Infusionsoft and Rezovation (our hotel reservation system,) Also, we wish it could inventory items that we use in the business that we do not sell like bottles, corks, supplies.

Taking payments just got easier.

I have used Square as my primary point of sale to accept payments for some time now and it continues to be the only point of sale I use to accept credit cards.

Pros

Square is more than a point of sale. Square allows you to not only collect payment via a credit card, but also lets you do it in more ways than one. Use the card swipe device or enter the card manually. You can invoice your customers and pre-configure to have a list of items to pull into the invoice without having to manually entire complete descriptions. Square also lets you create categories, modifiers and discounts to your list of items. Keep all your customers at your fingertips with a list you can manage. And keep track of it all with sales and deposit reports.

Cons

There are no cons I can speak of, as Square has been able to process just about any credit card, and debit card. Unfortunately debit cards will be processed as a credit card, so if your customer would like to use it, they will not be able to treat the transaction as a debit transaction. Other than that, there are no real cons I can think of.

Square POS is a great tool for Vendors and Small Business Owners

All in all, Square POS is a must have if you are a small business owner and want to expand your business by accepting a wide variety of payment options. It makes the sale process easy and convenient but on the other hand, it is does charge a fee for every transaction which can add up overtime.

Pros

Square POS, provides access to small business owners and vendors to an incredible variety of payment, invoicing and sale options. It makes the acceptance and use of credit cards exteremly convenient and it can all be operated with the convenience of a smart phone or a tablet.

Cons

The biggest negative of Square POS, is the fee structure as it does end up costing significant amount of money to vendors and small business owners and a small percentage of every sale goes directly to Square. It would be great if Square had more package options and a variety of plans instead of the flat fee on every transaction.

Square One

Pros

I highly recommend Square POS for any business struggling to manage the point of sale transaction. Especially new businesses, can get tied up and make mistakes when it comes down to taking money from guests, and this is often a real sticking point when things go awry. This is where Square excels most. Transactions are seamless and intuitive, and guests are happy.

Cons

The main con is that Square's transaction fees are very high compared to a traditional merchant processing company. You just have to remember that you are paying for convenience and ease-of-use. One trick is to contact square (after having a few months of transaction data) and ask them to lower your rate.

Business Owner

Customer service is top notch and responds both to online inquiries and emails. If I really need someone, there is a phone center with support as well. Great job!

Pros

The variety of utilization this software offers a small business is wonderful. Point of Sales, Payroll for employees or contractors, plus small business loans based on your sales activity are awesome benefits with low fees. I also get dispute coverage that acts like transaction insurance. They offer may services we have not taken advantage of yet. I look forward to growing with Square.

Cons

The only think I can think of improving is more control of payment dates for payroll, but at the moment it is very workable service.

Using Square to process credit cards

Great way to process credit cards for low volume types of businesses.

Pros

It's free - there's no monthly fee to utilize the software. They only charge a percentage of the amount charged and a per transaction fee. The fact that they don't charge a monthly fee makes it more economical for small businesses that don't have a high volume or recurring volume of credit card sales.

Cons

You have to use an ipad to run the credit cards. It would be nice to be able to use their website to process the credit card. When there's a problem it's next to impossible to get someone on the phone to help you with it.

Square Register - Must Have for Square Customers!

Pros

The fully-integrated POS has a lower processing fee, and is the best of what square has to offer. We have not had an interruption in service since we switched. There is no charge for the software, which is nice for small businesses, and it has an amazing ease of user interface.

Cons

I wish that Square had more integrations with other softwares needed by a retail establishment. For instance, inventory management softwares that will integrate with square are limited and polarizing with offerings. We had no choice but to go with Shopventory due to budget restraints.

Square Point of Sale

Overall the Square Point of Sale system is surprisingly simple to setup and use. Sending invoices via email as well as reminders for over due bills is ridiculously easy and even fun. Square provides users with a code so they can recommend others use the application, that when used, allows both users a free period of use of the application. I would recommend anyone needing a POS system check out Square.

Pros

Square POS is easy to setup and use in a very short time frame. They offer the Square card reader which allows both small and large businesses to accept credit cards in places that would normally not be able to provide that kind of service. Vendor and Craft fairs for instance. It not only offers easy invoicing and employee management, it also allows you to produce some reports and identify some trends.

Cons

Hit a few snags during the initial setup stage of my business as I seemed to do things a bit out of order than I should have. Once I figured out what I missed, I was able to keep moving forward with ease. The application allows for reports and some data filtering, though it does appear to be somewhat limited. It is not a full on CRM system like the ones I am used to working with, but I don't think it is intended to be. Not really cons, just some thoughts on it.

Easy to use and business friendly!

Great system. I would definitely recommend it if you are starting a business as there are no monthly fees, you can track your inventory, use it for scheduling and do a whole lot of things in general with it.

Pros

Super easy to use, business friendly software and many different methods/tools for integration of other services including scheduling, gift cards, and more. Easy to use to track inventory also. Easy to understand financials.

Cons

The percentage they charge per transaction is reasonable but slightly more than other services I have encountered.

Phenomenal experience

I have used this system for my restauraunt for the past 3 years and love it. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a POS thats easy to program sale items, keep track of inventory. Absolutely everything that you could ask for.

Pros

multifunctional product, that I can access from multiple devices with ease, employee clock in and bookeeping services are awesome

Cons

not being able to talk to a live person if needed, having to wait for an email response when there is an urgent situation is awful

Great for Entertainers and Traveling Workers

Pros

Square works great! I use this for DJ gigs and studio sessions and it is so easy to use when I’m out on the road. It’s saves services, allows tips, and takes customer cards just from the phone. Super convenient and easy to use. A lot of services I pay people for also use Square and it’s really becoming popular.

Cons

They have a small charge for transactions which can cut into profit a little. Also I do not recommend for large companies.